Chris and Zach (Variant Breed 1) by D.H. Starr

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Since the author was quite clear in his Author Note to explain he chose to split the story into three books, it will be no surprise for the reader to find an open ending. True, the main story between Chris and Zach reaches a some sort of conclusion, but the whole idea of the MAPs, the molecularly advanced person, is only at the beginning and I bet it will come “out of the closet” (pun a little intended) as will do two of its belong fellows, Chris and Zach.

Considering the dealing with this very extraordinary events, Variant Breed, at least in this first book, is not so paranormal after all. Sure Chris is 25 in 1746 and he is still 25 in 1985, when he meets Zach. But the author justifies it, first with the MAP theory, and second with the simple argument that Chris, alone at first, and then with Abby later one, move before people knowing him could wonder why he is not aging. Abby is one of the elements that made me wonder about this story, I admit I’m not very fond of ménages a trois with a female in the middle or on the side; true they can be good, above all if the female character is well drawn, but still this type of story starts with reserve with me. I have to say my worries were completely unnecessary, Abby is more a sister than a lover for Chris; even if she is clear in her feelings for Chris, that she is in love with him, she is also aware that Chris is gay from the beginning and she has never tried to “change” that. I think that she is not even excluding the possibility she will find love for herself in the future, but she is aware that love will not be Chris. So when Zach enters the scene, there is no really contraposition between him and Abby, on the contrary, Abby is almost a facilitator.

I reserve to give a full opinion on this series once I will see how it develop, until now it was nice even if I would have not minded the author to develop a little more Chris and Zach’s blossoming relationship, even if they are “special” men, nevertheless they seemed to have skipped a lot of steps of a new relationship. True, with Zach’s ability to read mind and Chris’s one to “penetrate” (and no, it’s not a kink), maybe they don’t need it, but the romantic reader likes to be indulged.

http://ai-press.net/2011/08/23/now-available-variant-breed-chris-and-zach/

Amazon Kindle: Variant Breed: Chris and Zach (Book One)
Publisher: Ai Press (August 23, 2011)
 
Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle